Sport

UGA's season on the brink heading into 'Cocktail Party'

Florida's defense has been a key to their season, holding several teams to single digits except for the Volunteers and Missouri last week. A five-star recruit out of Lake Sevens, Wash, Eason was recruited by both Florida and Georgia and chose the Bulldogs.

Florida has dominated Georgia the last two seasons, including a 27-3 blowout in 2015 that effectively finished off Richt's long tenure as the Bulldogs coach. "I know historically I was that way as a player". The two programs have met in Jacksonville every year since the inception of the Southeastern Conference in 1933, with the exception of the 1994 and 1995 seasons, when the stadium was being renovated to accommodate the arrival of the NFL's Jacksonville Jaguars. Smart remained with the Tide another four seasons - picking up 50 additional wins and two more national titles - before leaving for his alma mater.

On Saturday, the 21-year-old Florida quarterback will face Georgia on the field where he used to retrieve the tee after kickoffs or horse around during the week with the likes of Scobee or Pro Bowl running back Maurice Jones-Drew. The fact he will line up under center during the Florida-Georgia game remains a little hard to believe for Del Rio, who transferred from Alabama and Oregon State before returning to north Florida.

"His ability to see the game and put a plan together is really, really good", McElwain said of Smart. "With those guys up front, it's always very chippy, so there are always some penalties out there".

This will likely be a seesaw affair, as most rivalry games are, but Florida's No. 2-ranked defense will be the difference. The last time a Georgia coach won his first game against Florida was Ray Goff with a 17-10 victory in 1989.

The deadline came and went, and WOKV has been consistently checking in with the City of Jacksonville, which over the last few months has said their work on the final contract continued to move forward and all parties are working together. And the Gators could be without middle linebacker and leading tackle Jarrad Davis because of a badly sprained left ankle. Smart worked with McElwain and with Gators offensive coordinator Doug Nussmeier when McElwain (2008-11) and Nussmeier (2012-13) were Alabama's offensive coordinators while Smart oversaw the Crimson Tide defense.

"Last year was last year", junior running back Sony Michel told reporters.

It should be noted that this is not an official attempt to re-name the game, and that neither school endorses the name - they just sell the apparel that licensees have emblazoned with it. "I thought that we got to attack some areas that we needed, and I really thought the kids had good energy and attitude to go out and practice the way they did, physical, hitting each other, with toughness".

Do any of you care about the game's nicknames?

Now Florida is back in control having won the last two matchups.

The World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party is not called the River City Showdown. Georgia plays Florida. This isn't a great Florida team.

Said senior safety Quincy Mauger: "Every game is that much more precious as a senior, so we're not taking anything for granted".

That's not an official name for the game, according to Alan Thomas, Georgia's associate athletic director for external affiars. "That was a big obstacle for me to overcome, to keep playing with a broken hand".

It's a great game to win. With tight end DeAndre Goolsby questionable for Saturday's game, Brandon Powell and Antonio Callaway are going to need to get themselves open with the extra time Del Rio should have in the pocket. The school announced this week that Natrez Patrick and Roquan Smith violated no university policies that would require a suspension.

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UGA's season on the brink heading into 'Cocktail Party'